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Simple donation forms and security can boost online contributions

Aug 28, 2013

The easier an online donation form is to use, the more likely nonprofits are to maximize their Internet revenue. Many forms are similar because they collect the same information, but nonprofits can differentiate themselves by offering a quality user experience, according to a blog at Philanthropy for All.

Effective charity websites often involve very few clicks from the home page to the donation form. The donation button appears above the fold on these sites so it is immediately present for viewers. In addition, the button takes users to a new page that contains donation information and allows people to select how much they would like to contribute.

Individuals can make a donation in as little as 30 seconds with an online form, QGiv said. Additionally, these forms can be used to capture contact information of contributors can be kept informed about the cause.

How to improve website user experienceThe donation page should be simple and only contain the data the payment processing services need to complete the transaction and contact information. This allows organizations to keep in touch with the donor in the future. By creating a simple, direct process with few fields to fill in, nonprofits reduce the chances people will abandon the form halfway through the transaction.

Although graphics work well to boost engagement on other parts of the website, the donation page should be uncluttered and free of images, the source said. Similarly to how the form should contain a minimum number of fields, the rest of the page should be as simple as possible.

Some organizations give potential donors several choices for ways to donate, including monthly scheduled donations. While having multiple options may not seem like a bad thing, it can overwhelm donors and increase the chances they will abandon the process before completion.

While the nonprofit's website can offer many new opportunities to boost fundraising revenue, organizations should only rely on reputable credit card processing companies. With the growing amount of data breaches in for-profit companies and charities, nonprofits need to ensure donor information is safe. A security breach can impact a nonprofit's reputation and make it more difficult to attract new contributors. It's a good idea to choose a payment processing provider that is certified and compliant with all industry standards. Using a reputable service can give donors peace of mind, QGiv stated.